Keeping "script jazz" to a minimum is a good idea but consistency is also imporant. I italicize sounds, especially violent sounds, as well as dialog that is meant to be filtered, eg. through a walkie...
Keeping "script jazz" to a minimum is a good idea but consistency is also imporant. I italicize sounds, especially violent sounds, as well as dialog that is meant to be filtered, eg. through a walkie or phone.
It's totally subjective but I just like it that way, it reads well for me and it hasn't been brought up as abrasive in notes.
Michael Dzurak I do sounds in all caps - There's a BANG at the door. For dialog over a phone or walkie-talkie, I say in the description that we can hear the character's voice on the phone, then I have...
Michael Dzurak I do sounds in all caps - There's a BANG at the door. For dialog over a phone or walkie-talkie, I say in the description that we can hear the character's voice on the phone, then I have the character's name, "MICHAEL (O.S.)" above the dialog.
Yeah, you can capitalize pet names when you intro them, just like other characters. Doing so signals their importance to the story, so if they're gonna be running around throughout, it might be the move
He places it underneath the metal mini-bar shelf holding the liquor bottles and glasses.
MICHAEL
(into earpiece)
Roy. Copy?
ROY (V.O.)
(Michael’s earpiece)
Copy.
-or-
INT. LIMO - CONTINUOUS
Karam gets comfortable and fixes a drink. Lia sits across from him.
LIA
Do we have a deal?
Lia kicks a suitcase in between them. Karam unlocks it and bars of gold shine. He smiles.
KARAM
(joking)
Cash isn’t something you have a lot of?
LIA
I’m not a banking cartel. I don’t
print cash out of thin air. This
has more value.
They both smile. He finishes his drink.
KARAM
A ball and chain made out of gold
doesn’t make you not a slave.
INT. UNMARKED VAN - CONTINUOUS
Roy listens intently.
KARAM (V.O.)
(filtered)
See you tomorrow night.
Roy takes the headphones off and leans back.
-or-
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Teresa is crouched behind the ledge of the building, spying through binoculars on the balcony.
TERESA’S BINOCULAR POV
Roy and Lia entertain a conversation.
BACK TO SCENE
She talks into her earpiece.
TERESA
How’s it going down there?
EXT. JACIR PALACE HOTEL FACADE - CONTINUOUS
Chucky sits outside a COFFEE SHOP at a table, sipping his cup.
His eyes scan the PEDESTRIANS who walk in and out of the hotel.
CHUCKY
(into earpiece)
Just a lot of fancy suits and
dresses down here.
The unmarked van is parked away, on the dash a mini-cam is barely visible.
TERESA (V.O.)
Michael. You got anything?
INT. UNMARKED VAN - CONTINUOUS
Michael watches the mini-cam feeding night vision imagery on a monitor, he uses a joystick to control the angle and zoom.
He zooms-in on some of Lia’s entourage, getting out of lavish sports cars. He snaps screenshots and keeps watching. He writes names down on a piece of paper.
MICHAEL
(into earpiece)
Slowly but surely.
(writes)
Got some faces to look into later. How's Roy?
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - CONTINUOUS
Roy and Lia are laughing.
TERESA
He’s having too much fun.
The unit SNICKERS over the earpieces.
From "Serial Twins":
A POLICE HELICOPTER THUMPING overhead shoots the spotlight on The Gavel. She looks up, annoyed.
2 people like this
Keeping "script jazz" to a minimum is a good idea but consistency is also imporant. I italicize sounds, especially violent sounds, as well as dialog that is meant to be filtered, eg. through a walkie...
Expand commentKeeping "script jazz" to a minimum is a good idea but consistency is also imporant. I italicize sounds, especially violent sounds, as well as dialog that is meant to be filtered, eg. through a walkie or phone.
It's totally subjective but I just like it that way, it reads well for me and it hasn't been brought up as abrasive in notes.
5 people like this
Michael Dzurak I do sounds in all caps - There's a BANG at the door. For dialog over a phone or walkie-talkie, I say in the description that we can hear the character's voice on the phone, then I have...
Expand commentMichael Dzurak I do sounds in all caps - There's a BANG at the door. For dialog over a phone or walkie-talkie, I say in the description that we can hear the character's voice on the phone, then I have the character's name, "MICHAEL (O.S.)" above the dialog.
3 people like this
Yeah, you can capitalize pet names when you intro them, just like other characters. Doing so signals their importance to the story, so if they're gonna be running around throughout, it might be the move
2 people like this
I've never thought of this before. Good question. Thank you for sharing
1 person likes this
Several ways lead to Rome:
From "Bombshell":
He places it underneath the metal mini-bar shelf holding the liquor bottles and glasses.
MICHAEL
(into earpiece)
Roy. Copy?
ROY (V.O.)
(Michael’s earpiece)
Copy.
-...
Expand commentSeveral ways lead to Rome:
From "Bombshell":
He places it underneath the metal mini-bar shelf holding the liquor bottles and glasses.
MICHAEL
(into earpiece)
Roy. Copy?
ROY (V.O.)
(Michael’s earpiece)
Copy.
-or-
INT. LIMO - CONTINUOUS
Karam gets comfortable and fixes a drink. Lia sits across from him.
LIA
Do we have a deal?
Lia kicks a suitcase in between them. Karam unlocks it and bars of gold shine. He smiles.
KARAM
(joking)
Cash isn’t something you have a lot of?
LIA
I’m not a banking cartel. I don’t
print cash out of thin air. This
has more value.
They both smile. He finishes his drink.
KARAM
A ball and chain made out of gold
doesn’t make you not a slave.
INT. UNMARKED VAN - CONTINUOUS
Roy listens intently.
KARAM (V.O.)
(filtered)
See you tomorrow night.
Roy takes the headphones off and leans back.
-or-
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Teresa is crouched behind the ledge of the building, spying through binoculars on the balcony.
TERESA’S BINOCULAR POV
Roy and Lia entertain a conversation.
BACK TO SCENE
She talks into her earpiece.
TERESA
How’s it going down there?
EXT. JACIR PALACE HOTEL FACADE - CONTINUOUS
Chucky sits outside a COFFEE SHOP at a table, sipping his cup.
His eyes scan the PEDESTRIANS who walk in and out of the hotel.
CHUCKY
(into earpiece)
Just a lot of fancy suits and
dresses down here.
The unmarked van is parked away, on the dash a mini-cam is barely visible.
TERESA (V.O.)
Michael. You got anything?
INT. UNMARKED VAN - CONTINUOUS
Michael watches the mini-cam feeding night vision imagery on a monitor, he uses a joystick to control the angle and zoom.
He zooms-in on some of Lia’s entourage, getting out of lavish sports cars. He snaps screenshots and keeps watching. He writes names down on a piece of paper.
MICHAEL
(into earpiece)
Slowly but surely.
(writes)
Got some faces to look into later. How's Roy?
EXT. BUILDING ROOFTOP - CONTINUOUS
Roy and Lia are laughing.
TERESA
He’s having too much fun.
The unit SNICKERS over the earpieces.
From "Serial Twins":
A POLICE HELICOPTER THUMPING overhead shoots the spotlight on The Gavel. She looks up, annoyed.
HELICOPTER PILOT (O.S.)
(loudspeaker)
You’re under arrest!